How long does it take crowds to clear at closing in MK?

[kandb]

We usually leave the parks before fireworks to get ahead of the crowds but I see Happily ever after fireworks are at 8pm, so an hour before the park closes. We are not interested in seeing fireworks but my daughter will want to go on Tron around this time before we leave. We will be taking the bus back to ASMo. What time will the fireworks end and the crowds be horrendous getting the bus back to ASMo? What's the best time to leave MK? Thanks for any advice! PS-Going in mid-January.

 

[scrappinginontario]

I guess the question I have is, does your daughter have to ride Tron at this time? If she wants to ride it in the dark, that will happen around 6PM in Jan.

Riding anytime from 7:30 onwards will be busy crowds with massive crowds starting after HEA ends. HEA has a runtime of 18 mins.

 

[Disneylover99]

I wouldn’t worry about trying to beat the crowds. Just relax, ride some rides and try to have fun. Let the fireworks crowd head out before you. It may or may not be crowded at your bus stop once the bulk of the crowds have left. Buses come frequently that time in the evening so you might be pleasantly surprised.

You can always take an AllStar Music or Sports bus and walk over to the Movies resort, if the bus line at Movies is super long.

 

[traveler9]

I wouldn’t worry about trying to beat the crowds. Just relax, ride some rides and try to have fun. Let the fireworks crowd head out before you. It may or may not be crowded at your bus stop once the bulk of the crowds have left. Buses come frequently that time in the evening so you might be pleasantly surprised.

You can always take an AllStar Music or Sports bus and walk over to the Movies resort, if the bus line at Movies is super long.

Busses to All Stars can get interesting. One time I was going back to Sports and there was a massive line for the Sports bus but just a handful in line for the Music bus. So I get in line for Music thinking I'll just walk from there, and guess what happens after they load everyone going to Music? The bus pulls one spot forward to the Sports stop and picks up as many as it can and stops at both resorts. So not only did I avoid having to wait for probably 2-3 busses for Sports, I even got a seat on the bus and could just get off at Sports, essentially cutting the entire Sports bus line in the process.

 

[Disneylover99]

Busses to All Stars can get interesting. One time I was going back to Sports and there was a massive line for the Sports bus but just a handful in line for the Music bus. So I get in line for Music thinking I'll just walk from there, and guess what happens after they load everyone going to Music? The bus pulls one spot forward to the Sports stop and picks up as many as it can and stops at both resorts. So not only did I avoid having to wait for probably 2-3 busses for Sports, I even got a seat on the bus and could just get off at Sports, essentially cutting the entire Sports bus line in the process.

So true.

We were once happily waiting in a very short line at the MK heading back to Music. The Sports line was slammed with people. But we watched bus after bus pull up at Sports and load up and leave. We ended up getting out of the Music line and jumping on the last Sports bus.

 

[zackiedawg]

There's another option if you don't mind a short walk - if the busses at MK are crazy crowded, you can walk over to Contemporary Resort, and grab their bus to Disney Springs, then transfer to your resort bus. It's one extra bus ride, but crowds headed to Disney Springs are much lighter and you should easily get on the first bus that arrives, and the busses back to the resorts from DS run til midnight or later. It's not necessarily going to save you any time, but will save being jammed in with massive crowds and lines and stuffed onto a standing-room-only bus backed nose-to-shoulder.

 

[traveler9]

There's another option if you don't mind a short walk - if the busses at MK are crazy crowded, you can walk over to Contemporary Resort, and grab their bus to Disney Springs, then transfer to your resort bus. It's one extra bus ride, but crowds headed to Disney Springs are much lighter and you should easily get on the first bus that arrives, and the busses back to the resorts from DS run til midnight or later. It's not necessarily going to save you any time, but will save being jammed in with massive crowds and lines and stuffed onto a standing-room-only bus backed nose-to-shoulder.

If it was that bad I would probably just get an Uber back to my resort from Contemporary instead of going to DS first.

 

[zackiedawg]

If it was that bad I would probably just get an Uber back to my resort from Contemporary instead of going to DS first.

That works too if you don't mind spending...and at MK, that means getting over to TTC which may still require dealing with massive crowds.

I am nearly militant about sticking to Disney transportation though - so I will always find the most relaxing path back to my resort - even if it takes the same time...I even drive to Disney, yet rarely use my car the entire trip - I just like letting Disney do the driving (or piloting, or captaining, or operating) for free.

 

[traveler9]

That works too if you don't mind spending...and at MK, that means getting over to TTC which may still require dealing with massive crowds.

I am nearly militant about sticking to Disney transportation though - so I will always find the most relaxing path back to my resort - even if it takes the same time...I even drive to Disney, yet rarely use my car the entire trip - I just like letting Disney do the driving (or piloting, or captaining, or operating) for free.

Leaving MK you can just walk over to Contemporary and request an Uber from there. You don’t need to go to TTC.

 

[traveler9]

I am nearly militant about sticking to Disney transportation though - so I will always find the most relaxing path back to my resort - even if it takes the same time...I even drive to Disney, yet rarely use my car the entire trip - I just like letting Disney do the driving (or piloting, or captaining, or operating) for free.

I’m the opposite. I would rather drive than rub legs with a stranger on a crowded bus (yes this happened to me on a bus back to Sports once that was packed to the gills).

 

[kandb]

I wouldn’t worry about trying to beat the crowds. Just relax, ride some rides and try to have fun. Let the fireworks crowd head out before you. It may or may not be crowded at your bus stop once the bulk of the crowds have left. Buses come frequently that time in the evening so you might be pleasantly surprised.

You can always take an AllStar Music or Sports bus and walk over to the Movies resort, if the bus line at Movies is super long.

Are the 3 bus stops right near each other at MK?

 

[traveler9]

Are the 3 bus stops right near each other at MK?

Yes, the 3 are together.

 

[kandb]

Leaving MK you can just walk over to Contemporary and request an Uber from there. You don’t need to go to TTC.

How much is an uber from CR to ASMo?

 

[traveler9]

How much is an uber from CR to ASMo?

Usually no more than $15-20.

 

[Sheryl2059]

I must agree that it would be best to just relax and enjoy the evening while the big crowds fight their way out. Its also a good way to decompress from a long day instead of trying to do so while waiting in long lines and a packed bus. Perhaps your daughter would enjoy hanging around and chatting with Cast Members about their experiences.

Whenever I see the fireworks crowds exiting it always reminds me of the worker drones coming and going in Metropolis.

 

[elvispursley]

We take our time leaving the parks after it officially closes. We wander through the shops in our way out and the herd has thinned significantly. One summer my DH convinced me to stay offsite and the mad house trying to get the ferry to TTC was so bd that my kids said they never got antes to go back to MK that trip. NEVER. AGAIN!